Answer to Question #76587 in General Chemistry for Daniella Castillo

Question

MST - Although many cities have old lead and copper pipes transporting their municipal water sources, few have issues similar to what occurred in Flint Michigan. Explain how city planners and engineers apply the properties of water to prevent corrosion of lead and copper pipes.

Answer 1

To reduce water corrosion city planners and engineers can add alkaline chemicals to the
water. They can use also neutralizing filters which are intended to increase pH. They
include calcium carbonate or magnesium oxide, or other alkaline material. The principal of
work of such filters is that pH is increasing and corrosivity is decreasing. Corrosivity can
also be changed in lower values range by using a sodium hydroxide or soda ash solution.